One type of coupon is a discount offer. Such a coupon may function like cash and be applied toward payment for customer goods at a point of sale terminal.
For manufacturers and retailers, coupons are a tool for product marketing. However, a deterrent to conventional coupon use is the requirement that the customer physically obtain the coupon by either clipping or printing the coupon, carrying the coupon to a retail location and presenting the coupon at a point of sale terminal.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide apparatus and methods for applying electronic coupons at a point of sale terminal without requiring the physical presentation of the coupon at the point of sale terminal. Such systems and methods may include a coupon processor in electronic communication with a point of sale terminal. The coupon processor may store customer information that includes an electronic coupon electronically selected by a customer. In the event that the customer identifies himself at the point of sale terminal, the coupon processor may be configured to subsequently validate the coupon to the point of sale terminal or, alternatively, instruct the point of sale terminal to redeem the electronic coupon on behalf of the customer.
In the event that a system uses multiple coupon processors to store customer information, a first coupon processor may instruct a point of sale terminal associated with the first coupon processor to redeem an electronic coupon on behalf of the customer. A second coupon processor, however, may be unaware of the electronic coupon redemption. This is undesirable at least because the second coupon processor may subsequently authorize a point of sale terminal associated with the second coupon processor to redeem the electronic coupon that has already been redeemed at the first point of sale terminal.
Thus, it is further desirable to provide systems and methods to enhance a multi-coupon processor environment in order to avoid the double redemption of a single electronic coupon. Such systems and methods may include an electronic coupon platform. The electronic coupon platform may be in electronic communication with the multiple coupon processors and assist in avoiding the double redemption of a single electronic coupon.